Review of the Pittsburgh Public Schools
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Review of the Pittsburgh Public Schools ORGANIZATION, INSTRUCTION, RESEARCH, AND OPERATIONS Council of the Great City Schools 2016 REVIEW OF THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Council of the Great City Schools thanks the many individuals who contributed to this project to improve the Pittsburgh Public Schools. The efforts of these individuals were critical to our ability to present the district with the best possible recommendations. First, we thank Superintendent Anthony Hamlet for requesting the review and for following through to make sure that the study stayed on track. It is not easy to ask for such a frank and hard- hitting analysis like those from the Council of the Great City Schools. It takes courage, openness, and uncompromising commitment to the city’s children. Superintendent Hamlet has those in abundance. Thank you. Second, we thank the Executive Director of the Office of the Superintendent, Errika Fearbry Jones, for her support and her patience as the report was being prepared. She was instrumental in moving this review forward and ensuring the team was well supported during our visit. Third, we thank the staff members of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, who provided all the time, documents, and data the Council needed in order to do its work. Their openness and enthusiasm were critical to our understanding of the district’s needs. Fourth, we thank the many individuals, groups, organizations, and associations with which we met. Our only regret is that we were unable to meet with everyone who we know had something valuable to contribute. Finally, the Council thanks the city school districts that contributed staff to this effort: Miami- Dade County, Orange County, Charleston, Baltimore City, Broward County, Houston, Minneapolis, and Cincinnati. Everyone contributed his or her time pro bono to help Pittsburgh Public Schools improve. The enthusiasm and generosity of these districts serve as a further example of how the nation’s urban public school systems are working together to help each other improve and reform. Thank you. Michael Casserly Executive Director Council of the Great City Schools Council of the Great City Schools 1 REVIEW OF THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Origin and Goals of the Project ...................................................................................................... 7 Enrollment in the Pittsburgh Public Schools ................................................................................ 12 Student Achievement and Outcomes ............................................................................................ 15 Findings and Observations ............................................................................................................ 28 Recommendations and Proposals ................................................................................................. 85 Synopsis and Discussion ............................................................................................................. 108 Appendix A. Organizational Structure ....................................................................................... 110 Appendix B. Analysis of Student Achievement—NAEP-equated PSSA Data .......................... 111 Appendix C. Comparing Pittsburgh with Other Cities on Various Academic Indicators .......... 135 Appendix D. Biographical Sketches of Members of the Strategic Support Teams .................... 146 Appendix E. Individuals Interviewed ......................................................................................... 157 Appendix F. Materials Reviewed ............................................................................................... 163 Appendix G. History of Strategic Support Teams ...................................................................... 167 Council of the Great City Schools 2 REVIEW OF THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS Table of Exhibits EXHIBIT 1. PENNSYLVANIA AND PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOL PK12 ENROLLMENT, SY 2015- 16 ............................................................................................................................................................... 12 EXHIBIT 2. PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOL PK12 ENROLLMENT BY RACE, SY 2015-16 ................. 13 EXHIBIT 3. DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH AND THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 2015 ....................................................................................................................................... 13 EXHIBIT 4. PERCENTAGE OF PITTSBURGH AND STATE STUDENTS WHO ARE PROFICIENT OR ABOVE BY GRADE IN READING, 2015-16 ......................................................................................... 15 EXHIBIT 5. PERCENTAGE OF PITTSBURGH AND STATE STUDENTS WHO ARE PROFICIENT OR ABOVE BY GRADE IN MATH, 2015-16 ............................................................................................... 16 EXHIBIT 6. PITTSBURGH READING PROFICIENCY TRENDS ON PSSA BY GRADE, 2011-12 TO 2015-16 ...................................................................................................................................................... 16 EXHIBIT 7. PITTSBURGH MATH PROFICIENCY TRENDS ON PSSA BY GRADE, 2011-12 TO 2015-16 ................................................................................................................................................................... 17 EXHIBIT 8. TRENDS IN PITTSBURGH AND STATE READING PROFICIENCY AND ABOVE FOR TWO STUDENT COHORTS, 2011-12 TO 2015-16 ................................................................................ 18 EXHIBIT 9. TRENDS IN PITTSBURGH AND STATE MATH PROFICIENCY AND ABOVE FOR TWO STUDENT COHORTS, 2011-12 TO 2015-16 .......................................................................................... 19 EXHIBIT 10. STANDARDIZED READING TRENDS AMONG PITTSBURGH AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC, AND WHITE 4TH GRADERS RELATIVE TO THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE (0.00), 2012 TO 2015 ............................................................................................................................................ 20 EXHIBIT 11. STANDARDIZED READING TRENDS AMONG PITTSBURGH AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC, AND WHITE 8TH GRADERS RELATIVE TO THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE (0.00), 2012 TO 2015 ............................................................................................................................................ 20 EXHIBIT 12. STANDARDIZED MATH TRENDS AMONG PITTSBURGH AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC, AND WHITE 4TH GRADERS RELATIVE TO THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE (0.00), 2012 TO 2015 ............................................................................................................................................ 21 EXHIBIT 13. STANDARDIZED MATH TRENDS AMONG PITTSBURGH AFRICAN AMERICAN, HISPANIC, AND WHITE 8TH GRADERS RELATIVE TO THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE (0.00), 2012 TO 2015 ............................................................................................................................................ 21 EXHIBIT 14. TRENDS IN FOURTH GRADE READING SCALE SCORES ON NAEP............................... 22 EXHIBIT 15. TRENDS IN EIGHTH GRADE READING SCALE SCORES ON NAEP, 2007 TO 2015 ...... 23 EXHIBIT 16. TRENDS IN FOURTH GRADE MATH SCALE SCORES ON NAEP ..................................... 24 EXHIBIT 17. TRENDS IN EIGHTH GRADE MATH SCALE SCORES ON NAEP ...................................... 25 EXHIBIT 18. STUDENTS PER TOTAL STAFF IN PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ............................. 32 EXHIBIT 19. PERCENT OF TOTAL STAFF IN PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO WERE TEACHERS ............................................................................................................................................... 33 EXHIBIT 20. STUDENTS PER TEACHER RATIO IN PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ....................... 33 EXHIBIT 21. STUDENTS PER ADMINISTRATOR IN THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ............. 34 EXHIBIT 22. STUDENTS PER SCHOOL-BASED ADMINISTRATOR IN THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ................................................................................................................................................. 34 EXHIBIT 23. STUDENTS PER DISTRICT-LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR IN THE PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ................................................................................................................................................. 35 EXHIBIT 24. ENROLLMENT IN GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAMS AND CALCULUS BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, 2013 .......................................................................................................................... 42 EXHIBIT 25. ENROLLMENT IN AP/IB AND PHYSICS BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, 2013 ................... 43 EXHIBIT 26. PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS BY DISABILITY CATEGORY, COMPARED TO STATE AND NATION .......................................................................................................................................... 50 EXHIBIT 27. PITTSBURGH STUDENTS WITH IEPS BY GRADE .............................................................. 51 EXHIBIT 28. RACE/ETHNICITY RISK RATIOS BY MOST COMMON DISABILITY CATEGORIES .... 52 EXHIBIT 29. RISK RATIOS FOR ELLS BY MOST COMMON DISABILITY CATEGORIES ................... 52 Council of the Great City Schools 3 REVIEW OF THE